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Abuja C-Of-O now requires NIN and BVN, existing landlords must re-certify – Wike

Published

5 months ago

November 24, 2023

Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike

Abuja C-Of-O now requires NIN and BVN, existing landlords must re-certify – Wike

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, says obtaining a Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) in Abuja will now require a National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN).

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Friday, Wike also noted that existing landowners in the capital must get recertification to incorporate these new features.

According to the minister, he has been refraining from signing C-of-Os during his tenure as the FCT minister to introduce enhanced security measures, such as the inclusion of NIN for individuals and BVN for corporate bodies.

“There are a lot of discrepancies, a lot of cloning of C-of-Os, so we have come up with an idea that every allottee who seeks and applies for a C-of-O must supply his NIN; this is one of the features we are going to put in the new C-of-O,” he said.

“If a corporate body doesn’t have an NIN and they have a property, they must put their BVN. So many persons have not registered, and this will make them go and re-register.”

Addressing the issue of existing landlords with C-of-Os, Wike stated that they would only be required to pay a nominal fee for recertification.

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“For everyone who has a C-of-O, they will come for a recertification, so that we can incorporate the NIN or BVN,” he said.

“Those who had a C-of-O before don’t need to pay money again; the highest they can pay is N50,000, and corporate bodies will pay N100,000. It helps in terms of security; it also helps to improve our revenue generation.”

“There are people who own seven properties, so this will identify them so they can pay taxes.”

Furthermore, Wike highlighted the benefits of this initiative in identifying property owners accurately for tax purposes.

He also addressed the proposed N5 million fee for C-of-O from the annual ground rent, explaining that the fee is based on land ownership rather than the structure built on it.

“The task force proposed N5 million, and the stakeholders said let it be reduced. They asked, ‘If it’s going to be on properties four-bedroom or bed-bedroom?’, again, you have to understand that the C-of-O is not based on the building but the land. The only difference is the annual ground rent.

“The one with a two-bedroom property cannot pay the same as the person with a three-bedroom property,” he said.

Related Topics:abuja C of O Featured landlords NIN and BVN

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Edo Election: Group accuses INEC of disenfranchising voters

Published

8 mins ago

April 27, 2024

Trends Admin

Edo Election: Group accuses INEC of disenfranchising voters

A coalition of civil society organizations, under the aegis of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations (CONGOS), has raised an alarm over the alleged denial of the voting rights of Edo State citizens by the Prof. Yakubu Mahmood-led Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Speaking at an emergency press conference in Benin City, the Edo State capital on Friday, president of the group, Comrade Abiola Daisy Igaga, accused INEC of flouting the provisions of the Electoral Act by not allowing potential voters register to vote.

According to Igaga, the press conference was organized to draw the attention of INEC and the general public to INEC’s disregard of Electoral Act 2022 as amended; and to the constitutionality of the continuous voter registration (CVR) exercise towards ensuring that people are not unjustly disenfranchised.

“This is very important if the election is to be seen as inclusive and credible,” Igaga said.

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Igaga expressed concerns that with the governorship election scheduled for September 21, INEC had not commenced the CVR exercise in Edo State despite clear provisions of the Electoral Law – specifically Section 10.1 of the electoral act – which states that: “There shall be continuous registration of all persons qualified to be registered voters.”

She therefore called on INEC to immediately obey the law, especially as a combined reading of Section 10.1 with Section 9.6 which states that CVR should end 90 days before an election means that INEC must conclude the exercise on or before the 21st of June, 2024.

“A reasonable percentage of the populace does not have confidence in the electoral process. It is the responsibility of INEC to consciously address the concerns of the people by delivering elections that are seen as free, credible and most importantly inclusive.We therefore call on the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood to live up to his promise to strengthen our electoral process.” Comrade Igaga added.

The group pledged to work with INEC to deepen voter education and combat voter apathy.

It called on the commission to show good faith by immediately resuming the CVR exercise in Edo State, adding that it is a mandatory provision of the law.

Edo Election: Group accuses INEC of disenfranchising voters

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FG borrows N3.8trn from CBN in 6 months, says new report

Published

20 mins ago

April 27, 2024

Trends Admin

Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun

FG borrows N3.8trn from CBN in 6 months, says new report

In the last six months of 2023, the Federal Government of Nigeria received an additional N3.8 trillion in what appeared to be a fresh Ways and Means borrowing, according to a provisional data published in the latest statistics bulletin for the fourth quarter of the year recently released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

This is despite claims by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, that the President Bola Tinubu government had not borrowed money from the CBN.

The CBN’s provisional data showed that the total figure rose from N4.4 trillion at the end of June 2023, meaning that the cumulative Ways and Means balances due by the government grew to N8.2 trillion as at December 2023.

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Total Ways and Means balances as at May 2023 when the Tinubu administration took over was N26.95 trillion. However, the balances were securitised as included as part of the federal government’s domestic debt profile.

A breakdown of the data shows that the balance at the end of June 2023 was N4.36 trillion, indicating that the prior month balances may have been moved to the Debt Management Office.

However, from July 2023, the balances increase every month, first to N4.5 trillion in July, then N5.1 trillion in August, crossing the N5.1 trillion mark for the first time.

By September, the total was N6.4 trillion, representing the single largest additional borrowing for a month with about N1.3 trillion. It then climbed to N7.2 trillion in October before rising marginally to N7.6 trillion in November.

At the end of the year, in December, the total hit N8.21 trillion, suggesting that Ways and Means increased by 88 per cent in six months.

FG borrows N3.8trn from CBN in 6 months, says new report

News

GRA regeneration scheme: Alake endorses housing projects

Published

25 mins ago

April 27, 2024

Trends Admin

Dele Alake, Nigerian minister of Solid Minerals

GRA regeneration scheme: Alake endorses housing projects

The Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo has declared his support for the initiative of the Ogun State government to holistically transform the Government Reservation Areas (GRAs) across the state to bring back the faded glory.

Oba Gbadebo made this declaration when the management team of the Ogun State Ministry of Housing led by the Commissioner, Jamiu Akande Omoniyi, paid a courtesy visit to the Alake’s Palace, to intimate the Egba Traditional Council on GRA Regeneration Programme.

Alake, who expressed his delight about the project promised to rally Egba indigenes both home and in the diaspora to buy into the new scheme.

“I am very excited today because of the project you brought to me; you can count on my support. I just don’t support, but I realised the development that the project will bring to Egbaland. I’m sure with the location of the project, the housing units to be built will be over-subscribed”, the traditional ruler stated.

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The monarch, however, implored the Ogun State government to allocate the Third Phase of the Prince Court Estates in Kobape and Kemta Idi -Aba, Abeokuta, to the remaining successful applicants.

Addressing members of the Traditional Council members earlier, the Commissioner for Housing, Jamiu Akande Omoniyi, reeled out the successes recorded by the incumbent administration in the provision of affordable housing to the people of the state, saying the positive response received from people prompted the government to continue to build more for various categories.

He emphasised that the new GRA Regeneration Scheme is meant to create a modern, vibrant smart city.

“The programme is not merely about demolishing and reconstructing, it will bring a total transformation geared towards enhancing economic value of the state. Save for unforeseen circumstances, the project should be completed within 18 months.

“The project when commenced will also create employment benefits with the engagement of artisans within the host communities”, Omoniyi stated.

Responding respectively on behalf of the Egba Traditional Council, the duo of Asiwaju Onimoro and Onimoro of Egbaland, Chiefs Tokunbo Odebunmi and Adeniyi Akanni, appreciated the state government under the leadership of Governor Dapo Abiodun for taking the bull by the horn with the GRA Regeneration Scheme, advising the government to be transparent about the project.